Another bill looking to protect kids on social media will be presented during the 2024 legislative session, but this one will focus on child influencers and their parents.
A number of bills have been proposed across the country, and in Maryland, concerning the privacy of data on social media, particularly when it comes to verifying the age of minors. As previously covered on Conduit Street, much of that legislation focuses on more passive users and has landed in a legal quagmire. But a new bill from Delegate Jazz Lewis, will focus on those users leveraging the platforms potential for financial gain, to include both the children and their parents. Enthusiasm for the effort was encouraged by new measures adopted in Illinois.
From a Washington Post article:
"I am excited to see Illinois pass this legislation. Child influencers deserve these crucial legal and financial protections from exploitation," said Maryland Del. Jazz Lewis (D-Prince George's), who plans to introduce legislation in the state this year.
According to an additional article on the subject, Lewis's proposal will be more expansive than the Illinois bill, with protections not only for profits made from online content, but also for privacy and "the right to be forgotten."
Lawmakers in Annapolis have previously considered legislation concerning children and social media during the 2023 session, with the introduction of House Bill 901 by Delegate Solomon and Delegate Wilson. This bill required companies offering an online product likely to be used by minors to assess and disclose information regarding their procedures for protecting the personal data of children. If this bill had passed it would likely have created significant problems for a safety provision, like in other states, that are, as a standard, attempting to verify the age of a minor through an unregulated third party.
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